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WION reaches Kabul ‘safehouse’ where al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri was ‘killed’ in drone strike

WION
Kabul, AfghanistanWritten By: Anas MallickUpdated: Aug 29, 2022, 08:45 PM IST
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Location where Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed. Photograph:(WION)

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WION became the first to reach the exact location where Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri was said to have been killed. Watch this special report: 

The United States President Joe Biden said on Monday (August 1) that Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan. The killing of al-Zawahiri is said to be the biggest blow to the militant group since its founder Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011.

However, there are several claims and counterclaims over the entire operation. On being asked about proof, a White House spokesman on Tuesday said that the US has no DNA confirmation of the death of Zawahiri. The spokesman said that his identity was verified through other sources.

Meanwhile, the Taliban said Thursday that they do not have any information regarding Zawahiri's presence in Afghanistan. "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has no information about Ayman al-Zawahiri's arrival and stay. The leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has instructed the intelligence agencies to hold a comprehensive and serious investigation," the Taliban said in a statement. 

The house where Zawahiri was residing is located in the Sherpur neighbourhood of the Afghan capital. A Hellfire missile strike from a drone killed the Al-Qaeda chief. In his address, Biden said that Zawahiri was on the balcony when the strike took place. 

To get more details, WION became the first to reach the exact location where Ayman Al-Zawahiri was said to have been killed. 

Visuals of the Kabul home show no signs of an explosion. 

ALSO READ | Who is Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Al-Qaeda chief killed by US strike? 

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'Violation of the Doha agreement'

The presence of Zawahiri in Afghanistan was a clear violation of the Doha agreement signed in 2020, Washington said. The agreement paved the way for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan a year ago.

In response, the Taliban said that the US had breached the accord. "The fact that America invaded our territory and violated all international principles, we strongly condemn the action once again. If such action is repeated, the responsibility of any consequences will be on the United States of America," the statement said. 

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